(from Evangeline Downs release)
Upsets topped by a $103.80 shocker by Pinecrest Boy in the B. B. “Sixty” Rayburn Stakes tested the mettle of even the most hardened of handicappers Saturday night during Legends Night III for Louisiana breds at Evangeline Downs. Twelve of the 13 betting favorites -- including seven at odds of even-money or less -- went down to defeat.
The D. S. “Shine” Young Memorial Futurity, run every year that Evangeline Downs has been in existence, was split into two divisions for the first time, a colts and geldings event and a filly event.
Honour Thy Lover ($19.20), a colt by the talented sprinter Honour and Glory, defeated stablemates Jumpin for Jason and Must Acquit (part of a three-horse Heiligbrodt Racing Stable owned entry) to win the $131,125 colts and geldings division, the richest race of the night. The victory, worth $78,677, was the second in three career starts for the Doris Hebert trainee. Co-owned by Hebert with breeder Louis Smith, Honour Thy Glory was able to turn the tables on Must Acquit who defeated him by 2 1/2 lengths in their trial three weeks ago.
“We’ve always been very high on this colt, after his trial we had him scoped and his lungs were found to be full of mucus, we treated him and he responded well and actually trained better than ever going into tonight’s race,” Hebert said. The final running time for the five furlongs on a track labeled fast was :59 2/5. Winning jockey Steve Bourque recorded his third “Shine” victory, capturing editions in the 1990’s aboard Hail the Bag and Demon’s Revenge.
(Chart, Equibase)
The filly division of the “Shine” was worth $130,025 and Swifty Victress ($21) held off stablemates Hisse and Iknowuthinkimsexy to record a front-running 1 1/2-length victory under jockey Sylvester Carmouche Jr. Purchased for the bargain basement price of $4,200 at the John Franks Memorial Two-Year-Olds In Training Sale in March by trainer Anthony Agilar for owner A. Philip Henderson, Swifty Victress earned $78,017 for the victory, the second in three starts for the daughter of Macho Uno .
Out of the Lite the Fuse mare Caught Fire, Swifty Victress was bred in Louisiana by L P Cormier. The running time was :59 4/5 for the five furlongs.
(Chart, Equibase)
While they were the richest races on the night, the “Shine” divisions were only two of a total of eleven stakes races restricted to Louisiana Breds on the program. In addition to the “Shine” divisions, the first ever million-dollar purse night at Evangeline Downs featured four races worth $100,000, two races worth $75,000, and three starter stakes worth $45,000 each on a night that honored individuals and their families who made a positive impact on Louisiana Racing.
Pinecrest Boy stunned the crowd with his six-length victory over St. Zarb in the $75,000 B. B. “Sixty” Rayburn Stakes for three-year-olds at one mile under jockey Kirk LeBlanc. Making his first start since finishing fifth in a $20,000 claiming event in which he was claimed by owner/trainer Rusty McKean Jr., the gelded son of Wire Me Collect charged past the multiple stakes winning favorite with ease and drew clear under mild urging. St. Zarb, whose only loss in his last six starts came in the Northern Spur Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Arkansas Derby Day, offered no response to the winner after getting a perfect stalking trip under jockey Carlos Gonzalez. Heelbolt outfinished Jeff T. and Switch Grass Gas for the show spot.
(Chart, Equibase)
Leesa Lee ($11) collared pacesetter and odds/on favorite Indigo Girl in the final 70 yards under E. J. Perrodin to win the $100,000 Pierre LeBlanc Memorial for fillies and mares sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs. Racing in mid-pack while Indigo Girl led uncontested through quick early fractions of :21 4/5 and :45 4/5, Leesa Lee gradually moved into a striking position before wearing down the public’s choice to win going away by 1 1/2 lengths in the time of 1:04 4/5. The daughter of Leestown is trained by Patrick Mouton and owned by Larry Campagna. She earned $60,000 for her sixth career win from nineteen starts. Longshots Cutie Sabrina and Sammie Sam rounded out the top four.
(Chart, Equibase)
Jerry Hardin and Dwight Fugate’s Ahead of Her Time ($8.60) remained undefeated after her resounding win in the $75,000 Frank A. “Buddy” Abadie Memorial for 3-year-old fillies at the distance of one mile. Racing around two turns and at Evangeline Downs for the first time proved no obstacle for the daughter of Leestown who powered away from her nine rivals in the stretch en route to a 12 3/4-length triumph. Trained by co-owner Hardin and ridden by John Jacinto, Ahead of Her Time is now a perfect 4-for-4 after covering the distance in 1:39 2/5. Many Moons finished second, well clear of Prestons Star, who edged out pacesetter Creole Lady for third.
(Chart, Equibase)
Chalk players finally had a reason to smile after Cort’s P. B. ($3.40) repeated in the $100,000 Junius Delahoussaye Memorial for sprinters at 5 1/2 furlongs. A one-time $10,000 claimer who has become a multiple stakes winner since being claimed for $40,000 last fall by owner Maggi Moss and trainer Patrick Mouton, Cort’s P. B. recorded his third consecutive win and fourth of the year with his 1 1/2-length victory over Magic Sunset. Ridden by E. J. Perrodin, Cort’s P. B. tracked early pacesetters Chocolate Warrior and Mr. Barracuda through fractions of :21 4/5 and :45 4/5, before taking command at the top of the stretch and holding off the late bids of Magic Sunset and Fass Feat. The final running time was 1:04 2/5.
(Chart, Equibase)
Speeding away from her rivals right from the start, the much improved Madison’s Music ($4.60) notched her fourth consecutive win and sixth in seven starts since being place in the care of conditioner Keith Bourgeois in the $100,000 J. Archie Sebastien Memorial for fillies and mares at the distance of one mile and 70 yards. After finishing ninth, beaten more than 30 lengths in a $12,500 claiming race, the now 6-year-old daughter of Prospector’s Music has earned more than $170,000 for her lessee Marvin Boudreaux.
Ridden by regular rider Kirk LeBlanc, Madison’s Music won by more than 11 lengths and stopped the clock in 1:42 2/5 -- just two ticks off the track record -- after leading thru early fractions of :23 3/5, :47 1/5, and 1:11 4/5. Punchy Louise rallied past race favorite Raspberry Wine in the stretch to earn the runner-up spot in a depleted field of six. Cutie Sabrina was an early scratch and Carl’s Frosty Girl was scratched after being injured in the paddock.
(Chart, Equibase)
In the night’s final stakes, the $100,000 Pola Benoit Memorial Stakes for older horses, Grand Minit ($14) charged past odds-on favorite Costa Rising in the upper stretch and then held off the late rally of Diggy Fresh to win by 2 1/2 lengths under jockey Curt Bourque, covering the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:46. Costa Rising, bet down to odds of 1-2 despite making his first start since winning the Louisiana Premiere Night Championship at Delta Downs in early February, had no response in the stretch after tracking early pacesetter J D Man thru fractions of :23 1/5, :47, and 1:12 1/5 and just held on for third over Liquid Silver. Owned and bred by the Brittlyn Stable and trained by Al Stall Jr., Grand Minit earned $60,000 for his fourth career victory from 16 starts.
(Chart, Equibase)